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Norfolk & Region

Purge prank falls flat at Holy Trinity high school

This group of students caused a stir at Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Simcoe last week when – as a prank – they stormed the cafeteria wearing “Purge” masks and brandishing water pistols. Administrators at the high school and the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board continue to review the incident. (Facebook photo)

Nearly 30 senior students at Holy Trinity Catholic High School got in hot water last week over an ill-advised prank involving fake firearms.

Over the noon hour Thursday, the students burst into the cafeteria wearing “Purge” masks and brandishing water pistols. Unsuspecting students were squirted while some panicked and ran after someone yelled “Guns!”

“The incident was captured by school video surveillance and reviewed by administrators who are disappointed by the lack of common sense and insight of the students involved,” principal Humberto Cacilhas said in a note posted to the Holy Trinity website.

“Administrators were not able to identify every student who participated in the event. Thus far, our investigation has resulted in the decision that there was no criminal intent. However, we are continuing to review the information.”

The Purge is a 2013 horror film starring Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey. It depicts a dystopian future in America where all crime – including murder – is legal for a 12-hour spell each year. The Purge was a sleeper hit and has given rise to several sequels.

Students participating in last Thursday’s prank shot video of their own which aired this weekend across southern Ontario on CTV News. Cacilhas spoke of the damage this has caused to the school’s image in an address to students during opening exercises Monday. In his presentation, Cacilhas said “our community has been negatively impacted” by the incident.

The school and the Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk Catholic District School Board are also disappointed by the commentary and feedback the prank has elicited on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

“Much misinformation is circulating on social media so the (principal’s) letter is being shared with our parents and community to provide an accurate account of the event,” Tracey Austin, spokesperson for the local Catholic board, said in an email Monday. “Any information that you have received outside of the contents of the letter is unsubstantiated. I can confirm that the incident did not result in anyone requiring medical attention.”

In his address to students Monday, Cacilhas spoke at length about the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II and how the pontiff found it within himself to forgive his assailant.

Just as the Pope was able to forgive, Cacilhas said staff and students should try to forgive the perpetrators – many of whom have expressed remorse – for throwing a scare into everyone.

“This caused chaos, undue stress and anxiety in some of our students and staff,” Cacilhas said in his presentation, which is available at Holy Trinity’s YouTube website.

“I understand it is very traumatic if you didn’t understand what was going on to hear the word `Guns!’ and then see people running and screaming. I understand how traumatic that is.

“Many, many people on our staff and students were impacted and upset. I want to make it very clear as a school administration that we do not support this kind of action. I was very disappointed with the actions of this group.”

Grade 9 student Michael Wong, of Delhi, was in the cafeteria when the prank occurred.

Monday, Wong said he thought the incident was in good fun.

“It was awesome,” Wong said in an interview on Oak Street. “They squirted me right in the face. I liked it. I thought it was fun. You have to be able to have some fun at school.”

That said, Wong added that the incident forced a young female student to relive bad memories. The student, he said, formerly attended a school where there were incidents involving real firearms. Wong said Thursday’s incident left her badly shaken.